Great! While this story has a rambling quality to it, the art is absolutely amazing, rich and gorgeous. But, and this is a big but, why in hell is it 75 dollars?
For David Mack fans, not superhero fanboys If you'd like to see Daredevil swinging through New York City beating up bad guys, this is not the comic for you. Although this is technically Volume 8 of the recent Daredevil run, it isn't exactly part of the regular continuity. The five issues that make up this volume were going to be a separate miniseries, but when Bendis and Maleev needed a break from Daredevil (after the Issue 50 battle with the Kingpin), the Echo mini was published under the Daredevil title instead.
This has led to an unfairly bad reputation for this beautifully painted, dream-like exploration of identity and willingness to fight for a cause. Daredevil subscribers expected more of the plot and action that had filled the series to that point, and this meditative break was frustrating, particularly considering the point that Bendis had halted the main plot.
If you are a fan of Alias (the comic) or Kabuki, this is for you. If you would like to gaze in awe at the poetic writing, beautiful painting and stunning mixed-media art of one of the most creative men in comics, buy this comic. You won't regret it.
Just to counter-balance the idiocy of "John Q. Public" This story was beautifully illustated by David Mack, as usual. The characters were all interesting and had depth. Bendis' writting, while occasionally wordy, is full of character. Definately worthy of a spot on your bookshelf.
!!!!!!!!! I am a faiithful reader of the new Volume 2 of Daredevil. This Series is mostly written and drawn by Bendis&Maleev. They are one of the greatest team up in recent comics. This book is a sadistic deviation from thier storyline and is writen and draw by David Mack. This is a (...) crap fest about a very minor character and her hippie like journey to discover her past. Her journey or vision quest given to her by an Indian shawman (yes she is a latino seeking out indian shawmen....yeah.....that makes alot of sense...) has her making encounters with Matt Murdock and big bad Wolverine. I must take time to not that Mack has the writing skills of a ten yearold that saw Xmen and Xmen2 and based Weopon X's background and life off aof a compacted role in 2 movies. Yes Mack uses the Logan from the movies not the comics. He then further expreses his impotency in the field by using chicken scatch drawings and paintings to move the story along with hardly ANY dialog. THis book is an artsy load of crap that should not be affiliated with Daredevil or Marvel. Go spend your money on Daredeivl 7:Hardcore. Its longer and has a real plot.
Disappointing First I would like to state that my opinion may be biased. When this came out monthly, Bendis's run had temporarily ended on a cliffhanger; Daredevil had publicly beat up and defeated his nemisis the Kingpin, unmasked himself and declared himself the *new* Kingpin.
Then we got this.
David Mack, who is one of Bendis's best friends in the industry, did a guest stint with a character from his previous DD arc 'Parts of a Hole', Maya Lopez (AKA Echo) a deaf latino women who fell in love with Murdock after Karen Paige got killed.
I think if this had come out as a graphic novel, or as a seperate mini, I may have enjoyed it more. But imagine being engrossed in an intelligent, gritty fast-paced work and then being forcefed an elaborate, artsy character study on a relatively minor character.
The story has Maya Lopez returning to Hell's Kitchen after a lengthy absence to attempt to reconcile with Murdock, only to find the world turned upside down and Matt with a new girl, the blind Milla Donovan. So Maya goes off on a 'Vision Quest' to find a name for herself.
One thing that bugged me is Mack disrupting the 'finality' of Hardcore by bringing back Kingpin. Bendis's run ended with a shot of Kingpin unconscious, bloody and bruised with DD standing over him. This should have been his last scene for a long time. Yet he comes back in this arc. Which would be fine, as Kingpin was a fairly integral character in Parts of Hole and to Maya's character, but Mack establishes nothing. Kingpin goes "I still love you" and Maya leaves. Thats it. Her relationship with Fisk is a LOT more interesting than Maya giving monologues on herself. Maya started the chain which led Kingpin to his downfall, surely Fisk has something to say about that?
As stated before, the rest of the arc is pretty much Maya finding a place for herself. Mack's art is beautiful, if not abstract, but it gets boring when the story has nothing to say. Obviously elitists will go "Superhero fanboys can't handle true art" and that those who didn't like this just wanted to see DD punching people. Please. For the first half of Bendis's run DD rarely appeared in costume and it was only until 'Hardcore' that he fought anyone important. But it was still a gripping, intelligent read that was relevant to the character.
As I said before, this should have been a seperate mini or graphic novel. Instead we get the equivalent of a documentary on Van Gogh between Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2. Echo's a great character, and David Mack is a great writer, but this is not the place to look if you're a fan of them both.
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